An almost weekly update of environmental news, particularly marine updates, with occasional splatters of transportation, indigenous, ideas of sustainability and sustainable development from around the world.

2.3.07

50,000 Scientists Come Together For Polar Study

2 Mar 2007 (TODAY)

LONDON - More than 50,000 scientists from 63 nations turned theirattention to the world's poles yesterday to measure the effects of climatechange, using icebreakers, satellites and submarines to study everythingfrom the effect of solar radiation on the polar atmosphere to the exoticmarine life swimming beneath the Antarctic ice.

The International Polar Year unifies 228 research projects under a singleumbrella, with the aim of monitoring the health of the Earth's polarregions and gauging the impact of global warming. The largestinternational research programme in 50 years, the project officially beganyesterday and will end in March 2009.

"Global warming is the most challenging problem that our civilisation hasfaced," Britain's chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, said in avideo played before the event's launch. He called the melting of polar ice"the canary in the coal mine for global warming".

The polar year is being sponsored by the United Nation's WorldMeteorological Organization and the International Council for Science.About US$1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) has been earmarked for the year'sprojects.

The world has had polar years before, in 1882-83, 1932-33 and 1957-58. The"year" will last until 2009 -- it often takes two seasons to reach remotepolar regions, set up equipment, leave to avoid the winter and then returnto collect the gear. - AP